Return of the Sith Lords

by RiBreadMan

Kreia was many things when she was alive. She was a Jedi, a healer, a Sith, a destroyer. To an angry and lonely little boy, she's a teacher. Book One.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Star Wars franchise, and neither do I own Naruto.

Summary: Kreia was many things when she was alive. She was a Jedi, a healer, a Sith, a destroyer. To an angry and lonely little boy, she's a teacher.

'Ask and I shall answer.' = Someone's thoughts

"Ask and I shall answer." = Someone speaking through the force/Ghost speaking/Flash back or memory

"Ask and I shall answer." =Someone speaking normally.

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Chapter 1

Kreia was many things when she was alive. She was a Jedi, a healer, a Sith, a destroyer, and while she bared these titles, she was a teacher. For a time she believed that being a teacher was enough. Witnessing the actions of her students, how they accomplished their goals, wrong or right, provided a comfort to her. For each mistake they made and for each of her own, she passed on the wisdom of her teachings, but those times are gone. Kreia was dead; she accepted it long ago on a planet far, far away.

Her last student proved an excellent learner and killed her, but there was one last lesson she forgone to teach; how to defeat death.

Even as Malachor V shook itself apart, life flowed freely from her wounds and into her only hand, she let go and the force welcomed her into its folds. As she gazed into the force with eyes long fade from time, she saw the journey that lay ahead.

The force has many paths to walk and many more to fall from, and she has seen their heights and depths and has found them wanting. For all paths lead to the same place, and as the force surrounded her, she smiled and preformed one last technique. She became one with the force and found peace, but as all Sith know peace is a lie. With what strength she had and what she could take from the dark places of the Sith academy on Malachor V, her chains were broken and the force set her free.

Kreia was many things, and now she is dead, but death is a minor inconvenience at best. She was a ghost, an echo of once was, but she was still a teacher and she had many lessons left to give. A balance needed to be made and she waited for the force to guide her. All Kreia had to do was wait, and eventually she was drawn to a student. This new student just so happened to be one of the decedents of her last apprentice.

Kreia taught and guided him through the inner workings of the force. She told him stories and imparted lessons of the past and he told some of his own.

His clan's creation was first started when her last student and their lover crashed on the planet. Her new student said it was created when his ancestors were exiled from heaven for the love they shared. Kreia called him a fool, but the lies his elders and ancestors told him mattered very little especially when she could break them with only a few words.

She promised her new student to never lie and that she would answer all his questions, and she did. She told him that his clan's history was wrong and he grew offended and distant. He believed that the gods gave their clan inherent gifts and what meager force powers they maintained and passed on from father to son and mother to daughter caused the clan to be feared, and where there is fear, anger hides in its wake.

Even after the clan rose and fell, the technology learned from the crashed space ship proved little evidence to him of the worlds beyond this one. Instead of venturing into the stars his clan took to the sky and ruled the wind and rained fire and destruction on the land. The wisdom he took from her, gave him power. Through this power he gained victory. Through these victories he helped prove his clans royalty and divinity amongst the native people.

She watched him as he diluted her teachings and ignored her words. She watched as his influence in the clan increased, and she watched as he called for war.

She watched as they followed him, straight to their deaths.

Like so many of her other students, wars and battles followed in their wake and many more lay ahead for him. He's won many of these battles, and these victories' fueled his arrogance and ultimately his clan's destruction. He no longer asked for her knowledge and the ignorance he gained was passed down onto his followers, until it festered within the clan. War was called and he led them to the far flung villages and cities of their foes. He reached too far and to fast, never consolidating the land and used fear to rule the conquered people. Their enemy was ignorant of the technology used, but they never fled from battle and they did not died without taking their share of lives. Fear of death and fear of losing the war caused many to band together and fight as one against an enemy that was far greater than them.

Her student relied on technology to much and let his other attributes whither; his clan followed in his footsteps and believed their enemy was inferior. They lacked passion and the enemy used theirs to gain strength. Through strength they gained power; through power they gained victory. Until there were no more battles left to fight, no more wars left to win and her student's clan was destroyed. The last time she saw him was also the last time she answer his last question.

"Ask and I shall answer."

The final battle was raging. Gigantic Snakes, toads, and other such creatures can be seen in the distance, destroying whole swaths of land with each strike and slash of their gigantic tails and arms. Kreia has learned many things when she first came to this planet. The force was strange here, fuller; more complete, and almost balanced. It saturates the very land itself, and it seems to have affected the inhabitants and creatures in a variety of ways. The warriors of this planet also manipulate the force with such interesting techniques, but chakra seems to be there way of explaining their gifts.

She remembers when she was a child and thought it magic. The child in front of her thought the same at one point.

"I need more power, I need more techniques and I need them now! You said there were techniques within the force that there is no defense? I need one of them, any of them! Teach me like you did when I was young!"

A frown adorns her face, a pale blue haze surrounds her form and sometimes she is thankful for the fact that he is the only one that can see her. Explaining how she exists in this form would just raise more questions, and she has finally reached her limit of answering his.

"I have taught you enough. I have taught you to strengthen your body and to heal from wounds others would die from. These were abilities that you excelled in, I only asked that you strengthen your weaknesses and you have not done that. Do you even remember what your weakness is, or are you too blind to see it?"

Even as time progressed and she lost the use of her eyes when she was alive, she could still feel and see the world around her using the force. The world around her was scared and stained with blood, and will be for a long time still. His enemies are unforgiving, and thanks to his urges and that of his clan's warriors, there shall be no prisoners. The crimes he committed and allowed has created an alliance amongst his enemies. Kreia knows the power and strength hate can bring and she also knows the weaknesses it breeds.

To be united by hatred is a fragile alliance at best, and their alliance shall end when their common cause lies dead at their feet. Even now as the last ruminates of her student's army falls, his face contorts with rage and signals to her that he still has trouble admitting a fault, a flaw. He is not perfect and it is about time for his last lesson and his enemies are kind enough to teach it for her.

"I need patience! How am I going to strengthen that when the enemy is already breaching the walls, flooding the land, and burning our homes?"

Kreia's response was fast and to the point for his insistent begging is warring on hers.

"You hear, but do not listen. I have told you that the world is like the force, it find its balance on its own. It does not need tending too, and can most certainly do without the blind and ignorant hands that try to guide and control it. You and your clan have built this city for comfort and security, but in hardening the outside you have neglected the weakness within."

Her student shakes and for a second seems to ponder jumping from the rumbling building to join the dying outside.

"Get to the point old woman!"

Kreia could only sneer at him and finish her lesson.

"Nature shall claim the land as it did long before you treaded upon it. It is not your home for it never was yours, the warriors outside are dead whether the breath or not. You may fight and lead them, but there is no front that can be won without losing the others. The enemy surrounds you and look to the sky for any attack, but do you remember the most important lesson when leading men and women into battle?"

He freezes and the anger that was ebbing and flowing within stills, and clarity sees through his haze.

"All who follow me should be seen as disposable. I remember that lesson well and that I should also view you as the same. You want me to abandon my home and let the Sky ninja under me die!?"

"Yes. Abandon this city and take what you can and sacrifice who you can. The enemy would fight to the end before they abandon their village and they expect the same from you. They believe that the people within these walls are the same, they will not be looking for a retreat."

Kreia stopped speaking and waited for the lesson to sink in before finishing. "You have caused this with your cruelty, and their goal is to destroy you. The lives of your ninja give you the opportunity to deprive them of their victory. It would take time to rise again, but it requires patience, and the patience of those that follow. Do you have the will, the strength for that, or shall you die out there in the streets like so many others?"

The anger is back, but quickly leaves when the ground shakes and the walls in the distance tumble down under the combined assault of several large summons. He turns towards a door, but before he leaves he had one more thing to say.

"I will take this lesson to heart sensei, but I never want to see you again."

"I believe that is recommended, for I have nothing more to teach you."

In the end the battle was lost and so was the war. The enemy did not cheer and they did not celebrate, instead their more ruthless and more emotionally controlled warriors proceeded to slaughter civilian and ninja alike. With time the dead became bones and nature claimed the Sky village under no one's notice, but her own. The village and its crimes, the technology and the ninja who used and fought against it, became stories and then the stories became nothing more than baseless echo's and soon they too were forgotten as the alliance of enemies fell apart and waged war with themselves.

She saw it all, and learned.

Kreia has many lessons left to teach, but lacks a student to learn them. So she waited for a time when she was needed and all that Kreia had to do was wait, because the force always finds its balance.

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For Naruto, anger has always been a constant in his short life. The feeling of anger is more common than the others that dwell within him and rise to the surface. He knows what it looks like to be angry, since most of the time people who look at him get angry or they don't look at him at all. He gets angry right back, because he doesn't care what they think!

Even as he sits down and starts reading during reading class, there are those that don't like him, and it makes him angry. He gets angry a lot during reading class, because he has to sit and read quietly and the teachers always know when he's just day dreaming.

Anger is not the only thing he feels; he feels 'disappointment' often. He feels disappointment because when it's someone's birthday people celebrate it, but when it's his, he has to share it with some giant monster fox that the fourth Hokage killed. People celebrate the Hokage's victory, remember the dead and in the process, they forget him.

He also feels disappointment because he has to take this class in the first place! Why does he have learn more words, he knows plenty? What's worse is that he sits right by the window and can see other classes with kids throwing kuni at things and he can't be there!

The ninja academy was supposed to be better than the orphanage! He was smart enough to get 'enlisted' in the academy a whole year before everyone else his age! He got his own room, for free, and all new clothes, dull kuni and throwing stars, but he has to be stuck in this class! So what if he can't read good! It's just so 'infuriating'!

These new words and their meanings are like the many others he has learned from a 'couple' of old people that teach him and the others at the academy to read. An actual ninja said it is a great 'honor' to have them here because they're our elders. Naruto doesn't know what honor has to do with old people and doesn't like how they always seem to pay more attention to him than the others.

They get angry at him because he calls them old, or for trying to escape, and they punish him for it by making him do boring stuff. They make him read and write and that's messed up! The other grownups don't make him do that! Even his pranks don't work on them! They're old; they shouldn't be able to see the thumb tacks on their seats! Thankfully they're not going to be here for long when he finishes this class, and then he could go outside again and train, or even prank someone!

Naruto also doesn't like the class either; being in this room is like being back in the orphanage itself because some of the older kids stare and whisper about him and when he asks what they want they get angry at him, or they don't look at him. It's like they don't see him half the time and when they do, they hate him for it.

All he can do is laugh and bare it because soon they won't be able see him, and when they do it's because he's so strong he doesn't need to hide. He's going to be a ninja and everyone is going to know his name just like the Hokage.

That's his dream, to be the Hokage, the village leader, and prove he's better then everyone and he'll have earned all their 'recognition'.

It's like, the only thing he has, that dream; one of the few things that hasn't been given to him by the orphanage.

Everyone wants to become a ninja, but no one wants that big hat and the funny robes, or the big desk. He can stick that in people's faces and prove to anyone who's listening that he matters! 'Believe' it!

Class was almost over and Naruto was half way through the window by the time that old lady said it was. Once outside he was free, and racing towards one of the targets.

He had to practice some more, yesterday his aim was off, but he'll hit the center in like three throws, believe it!

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Koharu Utalane was getting quite upset regarding the current condition and treatment of one Konohagakure's future shinobi, Naruto Uzumaki. Abusing what powers she has as an elder on the Konoha Council to inspect the orphanage and academy where Naruto was being held and trained proved an easy matter to handle. Alongside her former teammate and co-councilman Homura Mitokado, they inspected the buildings, the workers, and the utilities and found them acceptable and in good condition. Unfortunately the child they came here to observe was not.

He was not abused physically, but the lack of attention forced the child to act out with 'Pranks' and in doing so, forced the workers and children to ostracize him more than they already do. The villagers' indifference and anger towards their jinchuriki has created a boy that angers easily and is prone to uncontrollable outbursts. Though these traits can be easily curtailed, one of them can only be fixed with time, and the boy is making that incredibly difficult.

Being practically illiterate at 5 years old would be fine for any civilian village and even for some of the ninja villages, but in Konoha, that was unacceptable. Homura agreed with her and they soon took over the reading program at the academy and enforced the attendance policy. Anger simmers beneath her skin every time the boy's manners reveal themselves, or the lack thereof. She begrudgingly calms herself knowing it is not the boy's fault for having no role models or family in his life and anger rises within her again because there won't be.

For no one will be there to adopt him, after all the jinchuriki belongs to the village and not to one single clan or family.

Her other teammate, Hiruzen Sarutobi said that and she agreed at the time, but now Koharu is starting to think that a more firm hand or any hand really, is needed in the child's development. The boy craves attention and rarely gets the kind variety. Some laws were passed in the wake of the beast's destruction, but it seems that it did not have the desired effect.

The laws Hiruzen issued as the newly reinstated Third Hokage help curve some of the animosity the jinchuriki would face in the village, but the hate and fear directed at the child comes in many forms. The parents and older children know what he is and what he contains and the younger generation emulate them and share in there distrust and hate for little Naruto, 'And to think that the Fourth wanted them to see you as a hero'.

Instructing the boy to read and write properly, and help set the foundations for further learning was the least she could do. It is a difficult task and Naruto was making it more so. The child did not seem to like her or Homura and he may forget them later in life, but in the end it matters very little. The elder council wants to do more, but the laws that prevent others from influencing the boy also prevent her from doing anything that could be construed as favoritism. Unfortunately others have already tried using under handed and unsavory tactics that are nothing more than blatant attempts of favoritism.

There have already been requests for 'play dates' from many clans and influential families with young children and it sickens her that they are not only doing it for some preconceived notion of loyalty to the Fourth Hokage, but in fact are doing it to win influence on a young and impressionable boy.

Those requests caused more than one fight between the Elder Council and the Hokage.

Hiruzen wants the best for the child and was more than grateful for the offers and hoped that Naruto might finally make friends and become the smiling child that he once was. The council saw it for what it was, an obvious attempt at creating connections between Naruto and the heirs of their clans.

When some of these dates were allowed to happen, the boy laugh and play as any normal child would, but when the day drew to a close the clan kids where taken home by the hands and shoulders of their parents, and they left behind a child quickly being reminded that he was alone in the world. It was cruel.

The brief and sporadic attention the clans paid to Naruto drove him to act out more to the rest of the village that largely despised him. It made him think that 'Why do I have to be nice to anyone else, when I already have friends?' That is why the Elder Council enlisted Naruto so early into the academy. Hiruzen objected to it, but by just revealing Naruto's illiteracy he capitulated. A side effect of the early enlistment meant that Naruto no longer had time for 'play dates', he was too busy training.

It was for the good of the village that his childhood needed to end quickly. His developing years and prominent memories should not be filled with the tell tail signs of clan markings. It would have divided his loyalties otherwise. Distancing the clans from Naruto was for the good of the village, it helped stem the flow of questions the child might start asking; questions which the council or the Hokage are not willing to answer at this time.

'Do I have a family?'

'Why do people hate me?'

Questions such as these are easily explained or avoided, but as long as he doesn't ask or suspect why certain people in positions of power pay so much attention to him, then they will have more time to wait for Naruto to mature as a person and as a shinobi. In the end, she and Homura cannot stay here forever, for devoting time between Naruto and the rising issues that stemmed from the Nine-Tails attack is becoming troublesome.

Chief among them is the problem regarding the Uchiha clan. The relationship amongst the village and that clan is becoming strenuous, and it is not the village's fault. That clan refuses to answer questions regarding the Nine-Tails attack or even entertain the thought that one of their members was responsible for the beast's release. She and several others witnessed the Nine Tail's eyes, the spinning wheel of the Sharingan in its vision; the famed ocular ability of the Uchiha clan. It was controlled, and the Uchiha are impeding the investigation.

The elder council and the Hokage have met none stop for the last year trying to find a solution. One elder, Danzo, a war hawk and commander of a branch of anbu came up with an option a few months ago and it is looking to become their only way towards maintaining peace in the village.

"The Uchiha clan is causing tension amongst the ninja ranks. Conflict is inevitable and it is time for us to choose the correct course of action. It is for the good of the village that we act." Danzo said as he stared at the other elders with his one eye.

Homura growls out "This will weaken the village! Does the Hokage know what you are planning?"

"He knows there will be deaths. He is no fool, but waiting for the Uchiha to attack is not in the village's best interest." Danzo pauses and breathed a sigh out before standing to leave and said "Striking first allows us the opportunity to lower the damages the village will suffer."

Koharu needed clarification and asked, "Does the Hokage know you plan on striking first? Do you even need our answer, or our approval?"

Danzo mealy left the room, answering her questions with one word "No."

In the end her choice doesn't matter, that choice was made for Koharu the moment she was assigned to learn under Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage. He taught Homura, Hiruzen, and her that there is only one thing that is more important than the lives of you and your comrades. Koharu sighs deeply, remembering the last time she saw her dead sensei before she ends the class and sees the Nine-Tails container flee out a window.

The Third Hokage always talks about the future generation surpassing the last, but it is hard for her to fathom that, for she witnessed the founding of the village. She has seen the great might of those that bared the title Hokage, and she has seen that strength in her friend Hiruzen and saw it burning within the Fourth.

As strong as Hiruzen is and as strong as the Fourth was in his life, their strength pales in comparison to the great senju brothers that once guarded the land of fire.

'The years have not been kind to him or us, and neither has it been kind to you too.'' she thought as she started watching Naruto through the window. He was alone throwing kuni at a target with abandon, the grunts and yells could only mean he was angry at his poor performance, but that is to be expected. After all, he had only just started the long journey to becoming a shinobi. Turning back towards her desk she started to sit down and finish today's report on Naruto's progress to the Hokage. Hearing Homura collecting books around papers around the class room was cathartic until he finally made it to Naruto's.

"His vocabulary has improved, but his writing is still atrocious."

Continuing her report she listed his compliment and complaint, "He is impatient and wishes to finish faster." Putting down her pencil Koharu continues "He takes no pleasure from writing and neither has he been encouraged to."

Homura strokes his grey beard and nods before taking his seat next to her to start his own report. "That is a valid reason, and besides our goal was only to help him read not write, though it will make learning and drawing seals difficult in his later years."

She agreed with him, for the chances of Naruto ever being like his father were slim. Konoha currently lacked a reliable seal master. Hiruzen was still reeling from two of his student's betrayals and subsequent abandonment of the village. He was in no position to train anyone, especially a young child.

Shockingly the only student who stayed was the least dependable. Preferring to spy on ladies bath houses was not an honorable trait in ninja and especially spymasters.

There are others of course that could teach Naruto, but he is an orphan and orphans do not receive special attention especially in regards to ninja techniques when they have shown no prier specialty in.

'Sometimes trying to think of ways to make sure Naruto was viewed as less special than he is was getting tiresome.', Tiredly Koharu thought 'Though if the village's enemies knew or suspected of Naruto's lineage, then more deaths would have followed since the tailed beast's attack. Assassination attempts, kidnappings and diversions would have ultimately revealed how weak Konoha was after the Nine-Tails attack. War would have followed and we currently lack a clear successor.'

The times have changed for the next generation, though they have had many similarities to the past. Her generation and theirs have lost great leaders in battle; they died long before their time. All left legacies to be groomed and raises for the betterment of all. The First Hokage died building the village, the Second died defending it, the Third gave most of his life protecting it, and the Fourth died saving it.

The last Hokage saved it by giving his life and that of his wife, but he also gave the village its greatest weapon, a weapon that Konoha has lack since its creation. The fourth gifted the village with a jinchuriki; one of the only ways to harness the full power of a great tailed beast.

A mighty feat and all he had to do was trap it in his new born son, a price many are not willing to make.

The Forth Hokage never hesitated in choosing between life and death, between family and village. Minato knew what was more important when choosing between both. He entrusted the village with his legacy, just as the other Hokage before him. The First laid the foundation and started the Will of fire; the Second gave his last breath for it, while the Third fanned the flames for the generations to come. The Fourth epitomized what it meant to be shinobi, he sacrificed everything for the village and he asked so little in return, but the price was more than most could give.

The villagers and shinobi of the hidden leaf have failed in their duty towards his wishes and his child. Naruto was to be viewed as a hero, but instead they label him as the villain, and any wrong doings he performs are symptoms of the problem they have left unattended.

Imitating and adapting to one's environment are traits ninja should encouraged, though there should be no shock when it reflects a poor up bring, but what is one child's happiness over the happiness of the village? What is one clan worth when weighed against the whole?

Steeling her gaze whilst still observing the child, she could only think that when the time comes she will choose as the Hokages and elders did before her.

'The Uchiha clan will force their hands and whatever blood this rebellion sheds, shall be on theirs. Damn their pride, damn their wishes. The village comes first.'

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Naurto tried to calm down and think, but the constant twanging noise of the kuni failing to stick in the target was making that hard. He practices all the time in his room and out here in the training grounds and he can never get better, even after his twentieth throw he's still not getting any closer to scoring a bull's-eye.

There was a prickling feeling in the back of his eyes and he knows what that is, he's not going to cry! Taking an arm and rubbing it over them helped, but that didn't get him closer to hitting the target. Yelling and throwing weren't working and he was running out of ideas. He was at the required distance to throw, he held the kuni like the instructor showed him, and it still wasn't working! Reaching in to his kuni holster Naruto found his last kuni and throw it as hard as he could. He saw it fly right up to the target before the tip started falling down and the whole thing started tumbling end over end. The twang of the kuni smacking the target and falling to the ground was met with his yell of frustration.

Why couldn't he be better at this, why couldn't he better at everything! Picking up his kuni in a fit of rage, he started preparing for another throw when he felt something. His felt like he just stuck his whole body in a freezer. 'It's summer?' Naruto thought, trying to explain why he felt this way. Goose bumps started to rise on his arms and legs when he heard something behind him. It was like a whisper, a sound out of his hearing. Was someone trying to talking to him? He's the only one out here?

Naruto stood there for a while just trying to figure out what was wrong with him. 'Am I sick?' he thought, before quickly forgetting it 'I never get sick.' Maybe it's a ninja watching him "Hello?" Nothing, no one responded and a quick look in the trees around in revealed nothing as well 'I'm alone.' He finally realized 'Of course I am.'

He couldn't explain the feeling and it wouldn't go away; it followed him throughout the academy training yard and all the way home. 'It doesn't even help me throw better!' thought Naruto as anger started clouding his vision; though not enough to miss the glares some of the villagers sent his way.

By the time he got home all he wanted to do was sleep. He was just so tired of it all, and the papers on his kitchen table soon found themselves on the floor. The classes at the academy gave him home work that had nothing to do with being a ninja and they were due in the morning! 'Why do I have to do them then? Who cares about history?' Without hesitation Naruto left them on the floor and headed off to bed. 'Not like there's anyone here that would mind if I didn't do my homework.' Naruto thought begrudgingly. Those old reading teachers might get upset, but he didn't care what they thought of him.

'I don't care what anyone thinks of me!'

'No one cares.'

As Naruto's feelings boiled over, he hardly noticed the chilling presence continuing to surround him. Crawling under the covers gave him no warmth, he was so cold and burying his head into a pillow didn't seem to comfort him as it did normally. He was still so angry. 'Why was my aim off? I did everything right!' Taking a fist and smacking the pillow lifted none of his rage 'Why do I have to take stupid classes? Why does everyone hate me?' Naruto closed his eyes tight to prevent them from spilling tears and rolled over in bed to stare at the wall and hoping to fall asleep. He really wanted an answer to that last one.

'Why does nobody answer my questions?'

"Ask and I will answer."

Naruto's eyes shot open and turned as quickly as he could to find the voice who responded to him.

When he turned around he came face to face with a real live ghost. The ghost looked like an old woman covered in a black cloak with a hood covering her face, but what was more shocking was that the woman was bathed in a pale blue glow and transparent enough that he could see right through her. The ghost was standing over him and it allowed him to see long gray hair tied into two braids descending down each of her shoulders and through the opening her cloak. Her faced was like the old lady that teaches him to read, weathered and stern, but the ghost's eyes weren't like the that old lady. The ghost eyes were a pale white shade 'She's blind!' though Naruto.

"I assure you child, I can see." The ghost said, shocking Naruto even more 'She read my mind!' "You read my mind!"

"Yes child, but only those thoughts that reach the surface. Any deeper and it might hurt you."

"You don't want to hurt me? You're a ghost isn't that what ghosts do, hurt people!"

The ghost smiled "Why would I want to hurt you."

Jumping out of the bed and preparing to run outside, pointing a shaking finger he shouted "You're a ghost!"

Before Naruto could start running the ghost waved a hand and he was sent tumbling back onto the bed.

The ghost looked him in the eye and smiled "Yes I am, but I am so much more."

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Kreia found her student, after all these years she found another student and such a gifted one at that. He was a bastion of the force; even when she was leagues away she could still sense him. He was such a small boy, and so full of anger. A small smile stretched across her face as she watched him throw knifes at a target 'Most of it doesn't even belong to you, does it?' This child was a mystery. He was a beacon of the dark side, a boiling pit of rage, anger, and despair within this settlement. Some of these feeling could be explained as the child's own, but not the unparalleled power behind them. There was no possible way that an untrained child could gather these levels of dark side energy within him without any signs of degradation to his mind and body.

Letting the force flow from her eyes Kreia saw that most of the power was centered around a spiraling tattoo imprinted on the child's stomach.

'He is too young to have placed this on himself willingly and the only other marking are on the whisker like birth marks on his face.' A quick inspection proved that they serve no other purpose.

'What are you?' She had to know.

Closing her eyes Kreia guided the force under her command to aid her in revealing more of this mystery. 'There' She found something, gazing deeper she saw it 'A force was trapped, a power was contained, a spirit was sealed. What is it?' She continued to watch and feel the child and his mark through the force, until he felt her too.

'I tarred here to long, this mystery will have to wait.' the child turned with wide eyes and looked right at her "Can you see me little one?" then past her, and then spun around to look into the trees. "No you cannot."

The child knew she was there, but could not see her. He was too far untrained to see and speak to her on their first meeting. A forced bond was needed.

'I will have to awaken the force that dwells within him.' Kreia surmised.

Using the child's own anger as a focus she enhanced his senses, but it would take time before he finally saw her with his own eyes. As she followed him into the village she became aware of the hate and fear radiating through some of the villagers. Looking at the child she could only think why 'They know what is sealed within you, but do you know?'

Eventually she followed him into his home, saw his anger and sadness consume his thoughts and she heard them.

'Why was my aim off? Why do I have to take stupid classes? Why does everyone hate me?

'Why does nobody answer my questions'?

Finally Kreia felt a bond forming in the force and she responded "Ask and I will answer."

The child rolled over, fear evident in his face as he noticed her presence 'Ah finally he can see me, this will prove much easier now.'

'She's blind!' though the child after inspecting her form and met her eyes.

"I assure you child, I can see." She responded and after his shock wore off the boy screamed with his mind and body 'She read my mind!' "You read my mind!"

"Yes child, but only those thoughts that reach the surface. Any deeper and it might hurt you."

"You don't want to hurt me? You're a ghost isn't that what ghosts do, hurt people!"

Kreia smiled "Why would I want to hurt you." She was telling the truth. She would not want to hurt him, but there are lessons only pain can teach.

Watching as the child jumped out of the bed and preparing to run, her patience for this child was reaching its limit. As the child then proceeded to pointing a shaking finger and shout "You're a ghost!"

Her patience has finally waned and as the child started running Kreia waved her hand, sending a small force push to send the boy tumbling back onto the bed. This moment reminded her of something.

A memory resurfaces from a time long ago, of a boy of similar spirit addressing a crowed of followers. She could still remember the passion running through him and into all those that surrounded him. Their questions rang from the Jedi temple's steps and straight towards the outer rim worlds.

"Are you our leader? Are our savior? Are you our general?"

She remembers that day well and she remembers what he said.

Kreia looked the child in the eye and smiled "Yes I am, but I am so much more."

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"My name is Kreia."

That was what the ghost told him after he tried pick himself up from the bed and sat there staring at her.

'She has a name?' Naruto thought before he could stop his gut reaction to introductions he spoke, "I'm Naruto.", the ghost Kreia just smiled and said "You have questions?"

Naruto still on his bed sat down and used the wall to support him. Thoughts and fears running through his mind and that feeling of coldness earlier today were still present.

'I can talk to ghosts.' His eyes opened wider with what that meant 'I can see ghosts.'

The ghost laughed "No child, just me. Maybe with time you may be able to speak with the dead, but that would require training. Training only I can give."

Naruto's attention peak and his fear slightly disappeared 'Training?'

The ghost paused probably reading his mind and continued "Yes, training but that is for another time. You have questions and I can give you answers."

"How can you read my mind?" was Naruto's first question before another followed, "How can I see you, you weren't there before and you just came out of nowhere?"

"No child, as I have said before, I only read the surface thoughts, your fears, your anger, your wants and needs. I am able to do this with the use of the force."

"What does that mean?"

"The force is a power that flows and surrounds all forms of all life. This power also flows and surrounds you. That is why you can see and talk with me."

Rising a hand the ghost lifted his homework papers of the floor and placed them neatly on the table. "It is the same power that allows me to manipulate the world around me and with time so can you. It is very similar to the chakra used by ninja. The difference is how one is taught to wield it."

Astonished Naruto could just barely latch on to what she said. "I can do that?"

The ghost gave a small laugh "Yes, but not alone. For it was through my own power that you were able to see and hear so much. You would first need to strengthen your own connection to the force in order to grow and learn. I have already performed the first steps to awakening the force within you, but further steps must be taken."

So enthralled with what the ghost was saying Naruto didn't move when the ghost kneeled in front of his bed and looked him in the eye.

"I can show you the mysteries of the force, but revealing them would require your own eyes and not my own. I can show you the way to greatness and power, but you must walk down the path yourself. I can only guide you on your journey, and I cannot catch you if you fall."

The ghost reaches out with a hand. "I can teach you the ways of the force and so much more, but only if you listen and obey my teachings."

Naruto's hand was rising to touch hers in agreement, his mind already going over all that she has said and what she was asking for.

'I have power? I'm special? She'll teach me?'

His hand clasped her hand and it seems so small compared to hers. The chilling presence he felt seemed to be radiating off her and into his arm and body,"You-you'll teach me?"

The ghost smiled and Naruto could barely remember that last time someone smiled at him,"Yes"

With that one word Naruto's worries seemed to disappear 'She cares! She wants me to get better and she'll show me things! With this power I could be the ninja I always wanted! I can be Hokage, and show everyone who ever laughed at me that I'm better than them!'

Standing up Naruto could not contain himself "When do we start? Can I start moving stuff with that force thing you were talk…"

The ghost raised her hand to stop his ranting. "Calm, we will first start by awakening your own connection to the force."

Sitting down Naruto asks "How do I do that?"

"Close your eyes, I will guide you."

He did as she asked and waited "We will start with what you feel now. What do you feel?"

"I feel cold, and like I feel like there's something" moving his hand around trying to think of a way to describe it "out of my reach, but I don't know what it is?"

The ghost sat down in front of him and said "That is me. That is my presence you are feeling. Now I will draw upon the force and will it into you." Closing her eyes Kreia asked "Do you feel it?"

Naruto felt something and scrunching his own eyes. "Yes."

"Good. Now follow it, take hold and follow it to its source."

He didn't know how to do that! "How do I do that?"

"Will it to you let it surround you and the force shall be your guide."

Naruto did as she asked. He tried to will it towards him, but he didn't know what that meant. Till he remembered that it must be like the will of fire the teachers always talk about. The will of fire was the spirit and strength all ninja of the leaf have for the village. The need to do better, the want to improve themselves, he had that. Closing his eyes hard in concentration Naruto tried to feel and think like he did when he was throwing kuni, trying to will the blade into the target, trying to will the force into him.

Naruto didn't know how long it took, hours, minutes; time just seemed to drop away. Chasing something without form, without an idea of what it really was. It happened in a moment, he felt different, like something add to his person, something new like a sound he never heard, but it was like it always there and it knew him. The force welcomed him.

Letting the thing, the force, near him was weird. It was like nothing he ever felt before. The chilling feelings were gone and he couldn't really feel anything at all and then it all changed. He suddenly felt safe, secure, warm, and happy. He couldn't explain it properly.

The force was a song, a whisper, a wave, and so many more things. This was the best he's ever felt, he wanted more. Following the force he could almost see people, blue flames, lights, waves, they came in so many shapes and sizes. With their presence came their feelings.

'Cautiousness, Calm, Happiness, Frustration'

It was a wave that washed over him and Naruto could send it and followed it were it lead. The force showed him people and the things around them. He could feel the trees, the wind blowing through their leaves, and diving deeper he felt their roots in the earth.

'This is the force.' his new teacher's words found their way into his mind.

He felt powerful.

The force was all around him just out of reach, and letting the few strands of this power enter him of its own free will was not enough.

'Will it to you' Naruto remembered that and he did, he willed more and more into himself, but other things followed his call. He felt warmth, almost like the sun.

'Where is it coming from?' Following the force he found the feeling, it was himself. Naruto was shock. 'This is me?' Naruto thought, looked deeper he felt the strength there, the power. The force was everywhere here. He was so calm now, being bathed in this power, this force was amazing, but in his wonderings an unfamiliar chill raced across his skin.

'Where did it come from?'

Feeling with the force proved it couldn't be his new teacher, see was right there on the other side his warmth, and this new chill came from somewhere else. This new chill was inside him!

That couldn't be! He already felt the force around him and let it through him, this new feeling was different. It felt like something else.

Willing the force to his call, he found where it was 'My stomach? Why is there anything in my stomach?'

Naruto tried to go deeper and feel what was inside, but he hit a wall. Stretching his amateur connection to the force, Naruto pawed at the wall's surface and an image formed in his mind.

'Bars' sticking up towards a large ceiling, interconnected 'A cage! Why is there a cage here?'

Naruto's imagination and emotions were running wild and he made a mistake.

He tried to feel beyond it.

Naruto moved the force between the bars and it returned bring thoughts and feeling that weren't his own.

'Rage, Fire, Burn, Change, Rip, Bite, Tear, Boil, Destroy', They came quick and without mercy.

Naruto's heart was beating so quickly and so hard it felt like a small fist was trying to pound out of his chest. Through his haze Naruto could feel it. He felt everything; he felt a hot burning fire rising from his skin. It hurt.

Trying to claw his way out and away of what he found only seemed to uncover other things buried within.

'Fear, Sadness, Hopelessness, Trust, Mistrust, Disappointment' tears ran down his face, but he couldn't stop them, he couldn't raise his hands. He was paralyzed, the force was all around but it answered to no one here. Trying to bend it to his will made more feelings come and Naruto couldn't think straight.

'I want out, I'm scared, I'm never scared, I'm no one, I'm better than them, No one loves me '

The feelings were starting to hurt him, things he would never say aloud screamed in his mind. He felt betrayed!

'I didn't want this! This new gift, this power wasn't supposed to hurt me!'

Naruto was trapped inside. He couldn't get out, looking for any escape brought more fears and tears, things he tried forgetting. It all came back one by one, until new feelings came.

'Anger, Hate, Revenge'

Naruto felt those before, he knows what those mean; he knows what they look like. Willing those towards him Naruto almost welcomed them. They were so familiar and the thoughts that followed were even more so.

Angry at himself for feeling small and weak, hatred for the villagers for making him feel pathetic, and revenge on those who called him less than nothing!

Naruto wrapped himself in these feeling, until he couldn't feel anymore.

He felt cold, hot, anger, and hate. He felt strong, almost like when he first looked inside himself. He could feel all these things, but he could not think. Anger flooded his mind, thoughts of pain and hate seeped into the force and back into the cage.

As quickly as the pain, the cold, and the hate filled feelings came, they stopped, all of them.

Opening his eyes Naruto found himself breathing heavily and covered in a cold sweat. Taking his hands and wiping his eyes proved that he was in fact crying.

The force was still around him, beyond reach and within his skin. Warmth was returning to him as the cold in his stomach retreated back behind the cage.

"What happened?" Naruto asked trying to overcome the new experience and feelings from earlier.

Finally noticing Kreia he screamed "Why didn't you help me?"

The ghost opened her own eyes and looked at him "I said I cannot catch you if you fall."

Seeing Naruto's face turn red with anger at the response, Kreia continued.

"What was it you felt in the beginning? Did you sense me, the people and living things around us, in this building, down the street, and beyond that?" seeing her new student node in conformation, she cared on "What did I feel like compared to them, too you, cold?" another node "That is because I am dead. You are alive, and to me you are a bon fire amongst the many other flames in this village, there is a warmth, a light to your presence in the force" pausing she continued "but there is darkness within you as well."

"What is it?" Naruto asked as fear and anger straining his voice.

Kreia looked at his stomach and said "I do not know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

Kreia raised her hand to stall him "Have patience child, I will answer your question in due time, for I have much to teach you."

Stopping himself from speaking Naruto waited for her to finish.

"The force is made of two parts, the light and the dark. The light side of the force can radiate warmth, and the dark side is attributed to a cold feeling or chill."

"What's the dark side?" interrupted Naruto.

Looking at the child she pierced him with her gaze to quell any more interruptions "I will get to that when you let me finish."

Waiting long enough, Kreia moved on "The force flows through all living things, be they people or beast, plant or rock. It goes where it pleases, and as a force user you can manipulate it with your will. That does not however, mean that such manipulations can be done with ease. The force has a mind of its own and requires a strong connection in order to use it. To help control the force, practitioners use a focus such as an intense emotion to strengthen and power their connection. This method can not only enhances one's mind and body, but of those around them. Be warned child, for using the force with an emotion not only enhances one's senses, but also the emotion itself. "

Folding her hands and closing her eyes, Kreia proceeded "The light side of the force is powered by serenity, peace, forgiveness, and love. These emotions require the user to be calm and skilled enough to keep these emotions in check. When one's emotional control slip, so does their power. With training, a skilled user of the light side could keep calm in the thickest of battles and against the most powerful of adversaries. However the rewards for going down its path are not as self-evident or instantly gratifying as the dark side."

Closing her fists Kreia continues "The dark side is the lights opposite. Instead of peace, it demands passion, and instead of love the dark side is fueled by hatred. Instead of trust, a dark side user bends the force to his or her will to physically and mentally attack one's enemy. The emotions required to power the dark side come from our more aggressive emotions. These emotions such as rage and anger strengthen the body, but weaken the mind. You experienced this did you not?"

"Yes." Naruto said, remembering the cold and the hate and not much else.

"The dark side is an easy path to follow, for whom alive or dead has not been angry."

Opening her eyes Kreia looked right at Naruto, "Angry enough to kill?"

Naruto wanted to say no, but that would have been a lie. Refusing to look her in the eye Naruto shook his head yes.

"That is why those who use the light side of the force fall so often from their path and into the dark side of the force. It is easy to fuel it, and to draw strength from the force."

Unclenching her fists she continued.

"That does not mean that the dark side is without costs. Operating on hate and anger is draining physically and prolonged exposure to the dark side of the force can result in injury to the user. Remember child that for all the power it gives, there is a price."

Watching the child before her Kreia carried on "Both offer many disadvantages and benefits, and with time and with my instructions you will learn them all, but that is for another time."

"You never answered my question! What's inside me?"

"It is not a part of you and yet it is." pausing, Kreia felt it "I do not know, but it is strong in dark side of the force."

"How can you not know?" Naruto screamed

"When I look upon it I do not see a whole, merely a part of something far larger. A piece is missing and without the rest I can only guess."

"Then guess what it is!" Why wouldn't she just answer him?

Instead of answering Kreia stood up and headed towards Naruto's kitchen table.

"I do not think you have earned my guess." Turning around to face him she continued, "When your training is completed I will answer all your questions, and I will guess the thing that dwells within you. It will take years for that to happen and in that time you may be able to reveal the mystery without my aid, but until then" Kreia voice started gaining an edge, " you would be wise to do what I say and speak to me in a proper tone."

Sulking Naruto snapped "I want it out! What if it hurts me again?"

"Enough!" Kreia whispered harshly "It is a part of you and there is no changing that."

"Leave it be and refrain from using the force to sense it." Kreia spoke after calming.

Naruto didn't like it, but left the subject alone. He couldn't think of any to ask about it, and the only one probably knew anything about it was an old ghost. Did others know what it was? Did they know that is was inside him? Is this why most people hate him?

This thing inside him might explain everything; the looks, his lack of friends, and sadly enough, his lack of parents.

'What is it, why me?' sadness consuming him.

"Ow" Something hit him.

Looking down Naruto found a pencil in his lap. Looking up he found Kreia still standing by the kitchen table, currently reading his home work papers.

"I have found that actions help keep such thoughts at bay and training can help prevent them entirely."

"What are we going to do?" he asks suspiciously.

Putting down the papers, "You are going to do your homework, starting with your village's history."

Outraged Naruto screamed "Why do I have to do that? Why can't you just teach me more about the force, or how to be a better ninja?"

"How can I expect you to obey my teaching, when you ignore your other studies? How can you follow my instructions, when you refuse others?"

"Why? Who cares about history?"

Narrowing her pale eyes Kreia offered an example "Do you know the histories of the orders who us the dark or light side of the force? Why they fight against each other?" Noticing Naruto's peaked interest "No, of course not."

Confused Naruto asked "What does history have to do with that?"

"Everything, for you cannot know a people, their way of life, and where it is progressing without knowing how it became what it is."

Looking through Naruto's papers she continued "The history of this village is a reflection of the orders of the force."

Looking at him and putting the papers down "Warriors and leaders used their gifts to formed schools, created ideologies, and supported the rise of kingdoms and empires. Like all groups of people, disagreements rose, passions were flared, and wars were called."

Taking Naruto by the shoulder Kreia sat him down at the table, "History is filled with the dead and getting answers from them helps prevent you from joining there ranks. Learn from them, how they fought, who they fought, and more importantly why they fought. Learn all this and it will help you on and off the battlefield." Placing his pencil on the first paper, "Learning all this will help you become a great leader and a great warrior, but you must learn it first."

And Naruto did.

He spent more than half the night going over questions and read books he never opened when he first enlisted in the academy.

It was nice to do it with someone, anyone really. To Naruto if felt like he had somebody here, in his home that cared. The anger he felt for this ghost in the beginning was slowly forgotten, the pain and fear from finding something within him was muted, until all he could think about was answering the next question. Maybe he could actually turn in a complete piece of homework this time!

He couldn't wait to see the look on those other old teachers faces when he does! Ha!

Kreia finished examining his paper and said "Acceptable" and then "Go to bed" quickly followed.

Naruto didn't even fight her, he was too tired.

Learning about the force, the history of the village, and about himself left him drained.

Going to sleep sounded like a good idea. Peeking above the blanket Naruto asked one last question, "Are still going to be here in the morning?"

The ghost smiled at him and said "Yes."

It was a simple answer and Naruto liked it. He still had more questions, but they can wait, at least until tomorrow.

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END

Any comments on writing style or story are welcome.

Thank You.